


Bound by Duty

by MapleHere



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29387076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapleHere/pseuds/MapleHere
Summary: ~~PRO R*YED SHIPPERS DNI~~Ed scoffed and rolled his eyes.  "So, she doesn't like me?"Ling shook his head, eyes desperate.  "No!""And?"  Ed idly turned Ling's hands over in his own, brows furrowing when the taller man pulled away."And I want her to like you!" The prince's hands balled at his sides, and Ed tried to ignore the shimmer of unshed tears in his eyes."Since when have you cared what other people think?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow with a gentle smirk."I've always cared!"~^~Edward loves Ling.  He's willing to do just about anything to protect him from anything and everything, but what happens when the threat Ling needs protecting from is coming from the royal family itself?~~PRO R*YED SHIPPERS DNI~~
Relationships: Edward Elric/Ling Yao
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Bound by Duty

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This was a request from a friend of mine taken from its original format as a twitter thread and converted into a proper fic! Enjoy! ☺️☺️☺️
> 
> (Also apologies if Ling's characterization is off; this is only my second time writing him q:)
> 
> Edit:
> 
> ROYED SHIPPERS ARE! NOT! WELCOME! HERE!
> 
> I said it twice in my summary. Do not interact.

Edward grumbled under his breath as he hefted Ling further up on his back, hands gripping the taller man's thighs despite the layers of silk engulfing them both. The frictionless fabric made it difficult for Ed to keep his grip, and Ling wasn't helping his efforts, either.

"Edwaaard~!" the prince cooed, his arms wrapping around Ed's neck as he nuzzled into the blond hair at the back of his neck. "Ed..." he whined when he got no response.

"Not now, Ling." Ed's stride almost faltered as his companion seemingly flinched at his tone.

"Are...are you mad at me?" Ling asked meekly, and Ed almost forgot his frustration.

"Ling," Ed sighed as they approached the heir's chamber. "Can we not do this right now?"

Ling's fingers twisted in the fabric on Ed's right shoulder. "Oh," he whispered, "okay..."

Ed gently pushed Ling's door and set him on the floor before turning around to face him. "I'm not mad at you―” Ed grimaced as the words escaped him and lifted his right hand to rub the back of his neck as he met Ling's eyes, "―I mean, I _am_ mad at you, but I don't wanna be."

"Th-then stop!" Ling rushed, eyes desperate as he stepped forward, right hand picking at the hangnails on his left. "You don't _have_ to be mad at me, right?"

Ed sighed softly and shook his head, eyes dropping and hands to Ling's.

He gently took the prince's nimble fingers between his own, considering his words carefully. Ling was drunk and riddled with anxiety―his coronation as Emperor of Xing was in a matter of weeks, and

"Tonight," Ed began, eyeing the replacement ouroboros Ling had gotten years ago. Ed swallowed thickly and shook his head again before meeting Ling's eyes once more. "You wanted me to meet your mother tonight. You told me to 'make a good impression,' 'be on your best behavior,' 'no alchemy talk at dinner―'"

"I-I'm sorry, Ed, I just―she doesn't under―"

"It's not that, Ling." Ed squeezed Ling's hands to calm him down. "It's the fact that you got drunk and got in a fight with her―I was trying! I was trying _really hard,_ and―"

"She doesn't understand how I could be attracted to another man, Ed."

The blond paused at this.

"She spent the whole night insulting you with a smile on her face."

Ed scoffed and rolled his eyes. "So, she doesn't like me?"

Ling shook his head, eyes desperate. "No!"

"And?" Ed idly turned Ling's hands over in his own, brows furrowing when the taller man pulled away.

"And I want her to like you!" The prince's hands balled at his sides, and Ed tried to ignore the shimmer of unshed tears in his eyes.

"Since when have you cared what other people think?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow with a gentle smirk.

"I've _always_ cared!"

Ed's smile faltered as he realized just how distressed his partner was. Ling's brows were furrowed, dark eyes frantically searching the shorter man's face as silence stretched between them. "What do you mean?" Ed asked, worry creasing his forehead as he cupped Ling's cheek.

Ling reached up and wrapped his hand around Ed's wrist, his expression growing slightly pained. "I'm a prince, Ed―I'll be Emperor soon."

"And you'll be badass at it. We both know that," Ed offered, tilting his head slightly.

"Not if they don't like me, Ed." Ling squeezed Ed's fingers. "Not if they don't like 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

"What are you even _talking_ about?" Ed asked, bringing his other hand up to sandwich Ling's face between them. "Why does it matter what they think of me?"

"What good is an Emperor who won't provide an heir?"

Ed flushed a light pink, his heart skipping. "Is...is that what you want? Do you _want_ kids?" he asked softly.

"No!" Ling rushed. "I-I mean yes? Maybe? I-I don't―"

"Ling, calm down. It's okay."

"I'm―we're _eighteen,_ Ed―I don't know!"

Ed pressed his forehead to Ling's firmly and let his left hand fall to the taller man's shoulder. "It's okay," Ed began, "to not know what you want."

Ling took a slow breath and closed his eyes, holding it briefly. "I just...I've wanted this for my _whole life,_ Ed..."

"Do you still want it now?"

Ling's eyes opened, and he pulled back. "Of...of course I do..." the prince said, but he didn't sound convinced. "Being the Emperor is what I was 𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘯 to do―it's all I've ever wanted―!"

"But do you want it _now,_ Ling?"

There was a long stretch of silence as Ling's eyes began to fill with tears again, and then,

"N... _no…"_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Feel free to lwave a comment (they keep me writing) and let me know if there's anything specific you could see happening after this! I'm super proud of this one, so I'd be more than happy to discuss about it in the comments!
> 
> you can find me at @paninyasimp on twitter, and @rizathehawkseyehawkeye on tumblr!


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